ilifornia 
ional 

lity 


THE 


ORIGIN 


MATERIAL  UNIVERSE; 


A    DESCRIPTION    OF    THE     MANNER    OF    THE     FORMA- 
TION  OF    THE    EARTH,   AND    EVENTS    CONNECTED 
THEREWITH,   FROM    ITS    EXISTENCE    IN    A 
FLUID  STATE  TO  THE  TIME  OF  THE 
MOSAICAL    NARRATIVE. 


BOSTON: 

PHILLIPS,    SAMPSON   AND    COMPANY, 

110  WASHINGTON  STHEET. 
1850. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1850, 

BY   PHILLIPS,    SAMPSON   AND   COMPANY, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


ItKKXOTTPXD  BT 

CHARLES  W.  C01TON 

No.  2  Water  Street. 


*   9 


PREFACE. 


IN  presenting  the  following  thoughts 
or  reflections  to  the  public,  the  writer 
is  aware,  that  some  errors  of  diction, 
if  not  of  logical  deduction,  may  have 
escaped  unnoticed.  The  work  was 
written  at  intervals,  during  which  his 
professional  duties  required  his  unre- 
mitting attention. 

In  endeavoring  to  avoid  technicali- 
ties, and  to  render  his  subject  intelligible 
to  the  general  reader,  some  repetitions 
may  have  been  introduced,  which,  upon 


4  PREFACE. 

a  careful  revisal,  might  have  been 
avoided. 

It  is  believed,  the  explanations  given 
in  the  following  pages  will  furnish  data, 
which  will  account  for  most  of  the 
phenomena,  hitherto  not  clearly  ex- 
pounded, in  relation  to  the  external 
appearance  and  condition  of  the  earth's 
surface ;  and  indicate  the  cause  of  the 
deposits  of  marine  shells,  and  animal 
remains,  on  the  hills,  at  great  distances 
from  the  ocean. 

The  writer  believes,  that  if  the  whole 
theory  proposed  is  not  deemed  visionary, 
some  part  of  it,  at  least,  will  lead  to  in- 
vestigations that  will  confirm  the  truth 
of  the  suggestions  thus  hastily  intimated. 

Many  of  the  ideas  advanced  are 
believed  to  be  original ;  —  they  so  sug- 
gested themselves  to  the  mind  of  the 


writer ;  and,  although  the  expressions 
may  not  be  clothed  in  habiliments  which 
might  render  them  attractive  to  the 
critical  acumen  of  the  scientific  artist, 
still,  it  is  thought,  the  material  offered 
may  be  wrought  into  such  shape  and 
fitness,  by  the  aid  of  his  skill,  as  to 
present,  to  the  mind's  eye,  a  picture 
of  the  earth's  surface,  as  it  once  ap- 
peared, —  which  may  be  viewed  and 
reflected  upon,  with  both  pleasure  and 
instruction,  by  a  large  portion  of  its 
present  race  of  intelligent  inhabitants. 
I* 


INTRODUCTION 


THE  subject  of  the  formation  of  the 
Material  Universe  has  engaged  the  at- 
tention of  mankind,  and  been  the  theme 
of  conjecture  and  doubt,  of  assertion 
and  contradiction,  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  first  historical  record  to 
the  present  time.  It  has  been  a  topic 
on  which  the  ingenuity  and  learning 
of  philosophers  of  profound  knowledge 
have  been  exhausted,  without  arriving 
at  any  definite  result.  Even  the  In- 
spired Writings  furnish  us  with  no 


INTRODUCTION. 


evidence  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
"  Heavens  and  the  Earth  were  created," 
or  of  the  changes  that  took  place  on 
them  prior  to  the  Mosaical  Narrative. 

The  theory  now  presented  was  sug- 
gested by,  and,  in  fact,  is  founded  on, 
the  supposition,  that  the  earth  was  for- 
merly a  fluid  mass,  of  a  temperature 
so  high  that  water  could  not  possibly 
have  existed  on  or  near  its  surface. 
The  writer  is  not  aware,  that  any 
attempt  has  yet  been  made,  to  account 
for  the  method,  employed  by  the  Crea- 
tor, for  the  formation  of  water ;  or,  at 
what  particular  stage  of  the  earth's 
existence,  it  became  a  component  part 
of  its  exterior,  under  the  present  order 
of  its  arrangement. 

For  the  purpose  of  explaining,  to 
those  of  our  readers  who  may  not  be 


INTRODUCTION. 


acquainted  with  the  elementary  com- 
ponents of  water,  or  the  manner  of 
their  union,  we  will  premise,  —  that  the 
atmosphere,  which  surrounds  the  earth, 
is  composed  of  two  kinds  of  air,  called 
oxygen  and  nitrogen  gases,  in  the  pro- 
portion of  one  part  of  the  former,  to 
four  of  the  latter ;  while  water  is  com- 
posed of  oxygen  and  hydrogen  gases, 
in  the  proportion  of  eight  parts,  by 
weight,  of  the  former,  to  one  of  the 
latter.  Hydrogen  and  oxygen  gases 
may  be  chemically  combined,  by  com- 
bustion, in  the  following  manner  :  — 
Let  a  quantity  of  hydrogen  gas  be 
brought  in  contact  with  the  flame  of  a 
burning  candle,  in  the  air,  and  the 
oxygen  of  the  atmosphere  will  combine 
with  the  heated  hydrogen  of  the  candle, 
and  water  will  be  formed  by  the  com- 


10  INTRODUCTION. 

bustion.  This  combination  may  be 
observed  by  any  one,  on  applying  a 
lamp-glass,  or  chimney,  over  a  burning 
lamp.  The  hydrogen  of  the  flame 
(one  of  the  components  of  oil  being 
hydrogen)  will  unite  with  the  oxygen 
of  the  air,  and  will  be  condensed,  in 
the  form  of  vapor,  on  the  inside  of  the 
glass.  This  process  is  continually  going 
on  during  the  burning  of  any  substance 
containing  hydrogen ;  although,  in  the 
above  process,  the  vapor  will  be  visible 
only  so  long  as  the  glass  is  sufficiently 
cool  to  condense  it,  as  it  is  formed. 

Oxygen  occupies  the  most  important 
place  in  nature.  No  organized  being 
could  exist  without  it ;  and  yet,  nothing 
is  more  destructive  to  life.  No  fire 
could  burn  without  it ;  and  yet,  to  this 
very  property  of  its  being  a  supporter 


INTRODUCTION.  11 

of  combustion,  in  connection  with  hy- 
drogen, which  is  very  inflammable,  are 
we  indebted  for  the  only  material  capa- 
ble of  arresting  the  progress  of  com- 
bustion, —  water.  Thus,  then,  the 
same  materials,  differently  combined, 
support  life  and  combustion,  and  de- 
stroy them.  Most  metals  have  the 
property  of  decomposing  water,  by 
uniting  with  its  oxygen  ;  when  the 
hydrogen,  being  liberated,  is  again  set 
free  in  the  form  of  gas.  If  this  latter 
gas  is  again  inflamed,  it  will  unite  with 
the  oxygen  of  the  atmosphere,  and 
water  will  be  formed.  During  the  in- 
tense heat  evolved  from  burning  build- 
ings, if  a  small  quantity  of  water  be 
thrown  upon  them,  the  fire  is  increased, 
—  the  water  is  decomposed,  the  oxygen 
unites  with  the  combustible  substance, 


12  INTRODUCTION. 

the  hydrogen  escapes,  and  is  inflamed ; 
—  and  the  only  means,  known  to  man, 
for  averting  the  calamity,  serves  but  to 
increase  its  destructive  energy.  Again : 
if  the  heat  evolved  from  a  body  (molt- 
en metals,  for  example,)  be  sufficiently 
intense,  the  oxygen  will  be  expelled, 
and  will  not  again  combine  with  it  till 
the  temperature  of  the  body  be  suf- 
ficiently reduced  to  reproduce  its  affin- 
ity for  this  gas. 

Had  the  gases,  oxygen  and  hydrogen, 
not  existed,  fire,  air,  (as  now  constitut- 
ed,) and  water,  with  all  their  depend- 
ents,—  such  as  life,  light,  sound,  &c., 
would  have  been  unknown ;  and  the 
earth  would  have  presented  an  appear- 
ance like  that  of  shining  metals,  brill- 
iant to  the  eye,  (had  there  been  eyes 
to  see  it,)  but  totally  unfit  for  the  hab- 


INTRODUCTION.  13 

itation  of  any  thing  endowed  with  the 
principle  of  life,  or  pertaining  to  organ- 
ized beings,  as  now  constituted. 

Assuming,  therefore,  as  a  conceded 
fact,  the  former  fluidity  of  the  earth, 
and  that  it  has  been  gradually  cooled, 
by  parting  with  its  caloric  of  fluidity, 
we  have  endeavored  to  account  for  the 
manner  in  which  it  became  fluid ;  and 
have  supposed,  that  the  same  causes 
acted  on  all  the  material  universe, — 
that  similar  effects  with  those  we  have 
described  as  pertaining  to  the  earth, 
were  produced  on  the  other  orbs  rolling 
through  space. 

We  have  then  left  the  last,  to  con- 
tinue revolving  in  their  appropriate 
orbits,  and  have  endeavored  to  trace 
the  effects  produced,  on  the  surface 

of  the  earth,  by  the  gradual  accumula- 
2 


14  INTRODUCTION. 

tion,  or  formation,  of  water  around  it ; 
and  its  action  upon  it  when  allowed  to 
come  in  contact  with  it. 

We  have  briefly  given  the  result  of 
our  reflections,  from  that  time,  to  the 
time  when  the  central  heat  yielded  to 
the  action  of  external  influences,  and 
the  earth  was  prepared  for  the  abode 
of  the  race  of  animated  beings  which 
have  since  occupied  it. 

We  have,  farther,  suggested  the 
probability,  that  the  heated  waters  be- 
came the  medium  of  chemical,  vegeta- 
ble, and  vegeto-animal  organization  ;  — 
the  last  deriving  their  vegetable  or 
embryotic  life,  and  growth,  from  the 
chemical  materials  diffused  in  the 
water,  and  there  being  prepared  with 
organs  adapted  to,  and  with  a  capacity 
to  fit  them  for,  the  great  change  im- 


INTRODUCTION.  15 

parted  to  their  organization  by  sub- 
sequently coming  in  contact  with,  and 
imbibing  oxygen  from,  the  atmosphere. 
The  action  of  this  oxygen  upon  the 
blood,  or  sap,  imparted  to  them  a  new 
kind  of  vitality,  which  enabled  them 
to  maintain  the  uniform  temperature 
which  they  had  received  while  vege- 
tating in  the  waters. 

That  the  whole  surface  of  the  earth 
was  covered  with  water,  for  a  long 
time,  and  that  the  waters  were  inhab- 
ited, is  clearly  indicated  by  the  discov- 
ery of  shells,  and  the  remains  of  marine 
animals,  on  the  highest  mountains. 
That  some  kinds  of  animals  were 
formed  before  others,  is  a  fact  also 
generally  conceded. 

A  certain  temperature  may  chem- 
ically combine  some  elementary  particles 


16  INTRODUCTION. 

of  matter,  while  a  different  temperature 
would  separate  or  decompose  them. 
Thus,  hydrogen  and  oxygen  will  com- 
bine, and  form  water,  when  the  tem- 
perature of  the  former  is  elevated  to  a 
certain  point;  but  not  otherwise.  Let 
us  suppose,  that,  under  a  certain  con- 
dition, two  or  more  particles  of  matter 
were  attracted  towards  each  other,  and 
united,  and,  by  some  means,  invested 
with  life.  We  know  that  they  would 
become  capable  of  attracting  other  par- 
ticles of  inanimate  matter,  to  a  certain 
extent  ;  and,  that  the  vital  principle 
would  be  communicated  to  the  whole 
mass.  Hence,  we  perceive,  that  the 
vital  principle  is  diffusive.  The  most 
minute  seed,  or  seminal  germ,  requires 
only  a  certain  uniform  temperature, 
accompanied  by  humidity,  to  stimulate 


INTRODUCTION.  17 

its  powers  of  attraction  or  growth, — 
thereby  rendering  it  capable  of  appro- 
priating to  itself  all  the  materials  neces- 
sary to  its  further  development. 

We  have  shown,  in  the  following 
pages,  that  the  waters  on  the  earth's 
surface  possessed  all  the  requisites  for 
the  development  and  growth  of  organ- 
ized matter  ;  and  have  supposed,  that, 
under  their  high  and  uniform  tempera- 
ture, as  they  contained  all  the  materials 
of  organized  bodies,  a  union  of  the 
vital  principle  with  an  organization  fit- 
ted for  its  reception,  might  have  taken 
place.  If  it  be  admitted,  that  such 
union  might  be  formed  in  the  lowest 
orders  of  vegetable  or  animal  organiza- 
tion, it  is  believed  that  all  the  requisites 
existed,  in  the  waters  and  the  atmo- 
sphere, during  the  very  gradual  reduc- 
2* 


18  INTRODUCTION. 

tion  of  their  temperature,  for  the  pro- 
duction of  the  whole. 

It  is  believed,  that  water  alone,  either 
in  a  state  of  decomposition  into  its  ori- 
ginal elements,  or  by  being  converted 
into  steam,  was  capable  of  producing 
all  the  convulsions  under  the  earth's 
surface,  and,  consequently,  all  the  eleva- 
tions upon  it;  —  and,  with  the  aid  of 
caloric,  and  electricity,  and  the  other 
gases  external  to  the  earth,  while  it 
remained  in  a  fluid  state,  of  producing 
all  the  changes  that  have  ever  taken 
place  upon  it,  since  its  fluid  forma- 
tion. 

If  our  theory  be  the  true  one,  the 
sun,  and  other  luminaries  of  the  uni- 
verse, that  generate  their  own  light,  are 
influenced  by  the  same  principles  that 
controlled  the  earth's  atmosphere,  before 


INTRODUCTION.  19 

water  was  allowed  to  come  in  contact 
with  its  surface,  —  to  wit,  the  union  and 
decomposition  of  the  elements  of  water. 
Owing  to  the  immensity  of  the  sun's 
mass,  it  will  readily  be  perceived,  that 
a  very  much  longer  time  would  be  re- 
quired to  reduce  the  temperature  of  the 
surface  sufficiently  to  allow  water  to 
approach  it,  without  being  decomposed. 
Whether  this  process  of  cooling  is  now 
going  on  at  the  surface  of  the  sun,  by 
which  the  solar  system  would  be  event- 
ually deprived  of  the  light  and  heat 
imparted  by  that  luminary,  or  whether 
the  decomposition  and  recomposition 
of  water  is  kept  in  exact  equilibrium 
by  the  caloric  emitted,  by  which  its 
heat  would  be  kept  up  for  ever,  are 
questions  very  difficult  of  solution,  at 
present. 


20  INTRODUCTION. 

Assuming  the  position  we  have  laid 
down,  in  the  commencement  of  our 
treatise,  to  be  correct,  —  that  the  space 
occupied  by  the  material  universe  has, 
from  the  creation,  been  filled  with  pre- 
cisely the  same  materials  as  at  present, 
—  that  these  materials  existed  in  the 
form  of  gases,  and  were  kept  in  that 
state  by  caloric,  which,  with  electricity, 
existed  in  a  latent  or  passive  state,  until 
the  Creator  saw  fit  to  arrange  them  in 
the  order  which  enabled  them  to  unite, 
or  be  condensed  in  masses,  and  to  be 
governed  thereafter  by  natural  laws 
which  He  had  impressed  upon  them,  — 
it  will  need  little  aid  from  the  imagi- 
nation to  conceive,  that,  should  the 
Almighty,  at  any  time,  annul  those  laws 
by  which  the  particles  of  matter  had 
been  attracted  towards  each  other,  and 


INTRODUCTION.  21 

towards  the  several  centres  assigned 
for  them,  they  would  immediately  be 
dispersed  through  the  space  occupied 
by  them  before  suns  and  planets  were 
formed.  The  particles  of  matter,  com- 
posing the  suns  and  planets,  would  be 
repelled,  and  made  to  fly,  with  immense 
rapidity,  through  space ;  and,  the  ca- 
loric being  diffused  among  them,  would 
cause  them  to  separate,  ignite,  and  "  the 
elements  would  melt  with  fervent  heat," 
and,  from  liquid  masses,  become  vapor ; 
and,  finally,  be  again  decomposed,  to 
take  their  place  in  space,  in  the  gaseous 
form  assigned  them  before  their  forma- 
tion into  suns  and  planets. 

Every  material  body,  with  which  we 
are  acquainted,  has  its  beginning,  its  ma- 
turity, and  its  decay,  —  this  last  convert- 
ing it  again  into  its  original  elements. 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  change  of  matter  from  a  gaseous 
to  a  solid  state,  and  vice  versa,  is  con- 
stantly going  on  before  our  eyes. 
There  is  nothing  bearing  the  name  of 
matter,  with  which  we  are  acquainted, 
that  is  not  subject  to  this  law  of  change.* 
And,  is  it  to  be  supposed,  that  this  law 
is  confined  only  to  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  or  to  the  matter  endued  with 
the  vital  principle  ?  May  it  not  be 
equally  enforced  through  all  space, 
wherever  matter  exists  ?  And,  may 
not  this  lawr  of  change  have  existed 
from  eternity,  —  and  be  continued 
through  eternity?  May  not  the  same 
matter,  which  now  composes  the  solar 
system,  have  been  reduced  to  its  gase- 
ous form,  and  reformed,  into  systems 
of  planets,  and  a  sun,  a  thousand  times 
before  1 


INTRODUCTION. 


Whence  is  the  beginning  and  ending 
of  eternity  ?  or,  who  can  assign  the 
bounds  to  infinity  ?  Who  shall  meas- 
ure the  length  and  breadth  of  space, 
or  count  the  mighty  orbs  that  roll 
around  the  centre  of  centres,  —  the 
throne  of  the  Eternal  ?  The  all-seeing, 
all-pervading  Ruler  and  Lawgiver  of 
the  Universe,  —  in  whom  alone  there 
is  no  change. 


ORIGIN  OF  THE  MATERIAL  UNIVERSE. 


CHAPTER    I. 

ANTERIOR  to  the  visible  existence  of  suns  and 
planets,  the  elements  of  the  present  innumerable 
systems,  comprising  the  universe  of  matter,  ex- 
isted in  space.  Ere  time  was,  even  from  eternity, 
alone  in  the  inconceivable  immensity  of  the  void 
now  occupied  by  the  material  universe,  —  even 
"in  the  beginning," — God,  the  Eternal,  the  Great 
First  Cause,  filled  the  then  material  void  with  His 
presence.  His  fiat  went  forth,  and  the  material 
creation  began.  Progressively  and  harmoniously 
each  particle  of  matter  assumed  the  space  allotted 
to  it.  Definitely  and  mathematically  were  the 
elements  of  the  universe  proportioned  to  the  space 
to  be  occupied  by  them.  Above,  below,  to  the 


28  ORIGIN    OP    THE 

north,  the  south,  the  east,  and  the  west,  the  invisi- 
ble elements  of  future  suns  and  planets  came  into 
being,  throughout  the  immeasurable  expanse.  The 
height,  and  depth,  and  length,  and  breadth  of 
boundless  infinity  were  replete  with  unnumbered 
suns  and  worlds, — but  existing  in  a  gaseous  state, 
invisible  and  subtle  as  the  air  that  now  surrounds 
the  planet  we  inhabit.  Light  was  not,  except  as 
it  existed  in  a  latent  form,  diffused  equally 
through  the  apparently  boundless  void.  Latent 
heat,  or  invisible  and  insensible  caloric,  too,  per- 
vaded the  universe  of  matter,  of  which  there 
was  just  enough  to  maintain  the  elements  in  * 
their  gaseous  form.  Motion  was  not,  —  for  the 
mandate  of  the  Almighty  had  not  yet  gone 
forth  to  disturb  the  repose  of  the  new  creation ; 
and  the  Spirit  of  God  was  at  rest,  for  the  work 
of  creation  had  been  accomplished.  Self-ex- 
istent from  eternity,  omnipresent,  alone  in  His 
majesty  and  power,  yet  existing  in  the  most 
remote  atoms  at  the  same  instant,  —  all-seeing, 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  29 

all-pervading,    all-controlling,    from    eternity    to 
eternity,  —  He  saw  the  beginning  and  the  end. 

In  the  centre  of  this  invisible  universe,  He  then  _ 
formed  a  solid  nucleus,  by  condensing  a  portion 
of  the  gaseous  matter  which  he  had  formed  ;  and 
a  vacuum  was  produced  around  the  nucleus,  where 
the  condensation  had  been  effected,  —  the  matter 
forming  the  nucleus  occupying  much  less  space 
than  before,  —  by  which  an  impulse  was  given  to 
all  the  material  universe,  —  in  the  same  manner 
that  air  or  wind  is  carried  from  a  denser  to 
a  rarer  medium,  or  partial  vacuum,  —  which 
impelled  it  towards  this  central  vacuum ;  the 
laws  of  the  attraction  of  cohesion  and  grav- 
itation were  promulgated ;  the  latent  caloric 
was  set  free ;  and,  throughout  the  vast  expanse 
of  boundless  infinity,  all  was  activity,  motion, 
and  life.  Particles  uniting  with  particles,  form- 
ing masses,  and  flying  in  all  directions  towards 
each  other,  became  ignited  and  fluid  :  small 
masses  being  merged  in  larger,  were  carried 
3* 


30  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

along  with  them  towards  the  common  centre; 
but,  attracted  from  their  course  by  approaching 
other  masses,  and  being  absorbed  by  them,  or 
carried  around  them  by  the  centrifugal  and  cen- 
tripetal forces :  all  finally  assuming  the  same 
direction  around  their  centres;  for,  the  masses 
taking  an  opposite  direction  would  meet,  and 
unite,  the  smaller  with  the  larger,  and  be  carried 
along  with  them  ;  or,  be  finally  absorbed  in  the 
central  mass;  or,  be  kept  at  uniform  distances 
by  the  action  of  the  forces  above  named.  These 
masses,  as  they  united  with  each  other,  being  in 
a  fluid  state,  would  assume  and  retain  the  glob- 
ular form,  however  often  their  masses  might  be 
enlarged  by  uniting  with  others.  Thus,  these 
liquid  masses  rolled  through  space,  frequently 
crossing  each  other's  track  ;  —  some,  passing 
others,  were  checked  in  their  onward  course  by 
their  attraction,  and  made  to  assume  a  direction 
around  them;  others,  coming  in  contact  with 
sufficient  force  to  carry  off  a  part  of  the  mass 


MATERIAL   UNIVERSE.  31 

they  had  invaded,  and  changing  the  direction 
of  each. 

This  apparent  chaos  of  matter  continued  till 
all  the  fluid  masses  became  subject  to  uniform 
and  fixed  laws  of  motion  and  direction  ;  and, 
although  all  the  masses,  before  being  formed,  re- 
ceived an  impulse  or  attraction  towards  the  com- 
mon or  great  centre  of  centres,  when  the  first 
vacuum  was  educed,  and  the  first  condensation 
of  the  gases  took  place,  yet,  the  laws  of  the 
attraction  of  cohesion  and  gravitation  acting 
alike  on  all  created  matter,  the  smaller  masses 
would  be  attracted  by  the  larger,  and  the  larger 
in  a  less  degree  by  the  smaller,  thus  causing  each 
to  deviate  from  its  regular  course,  —  the  larger 
masses  forming  new  centres,  to  which  the  smaller 
would  be  attracted,  and,  if  not  subjected  to  the 
laws  of  the  two  opposite  forces,  would  be  united 
to  the  larger,  and  move  onward  in  the  direction 
given  them  by  the  laws  of  motion. 

Finally,  the  whole  matter  of  the  material  uni- 


32  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

verse  was  arranged  in  spherical  masses,  and 
subjected  to  the  laws  of  attraction  and  force, 
and  rolled  through  space,  at  such  distances  from 
each  other  as  their  several  laws  of  motion  or 
gravitation  required  :  —  it  being  understood,  that 
all  the  masses  which  had  not  arrived  at  the 
exact  point  where  the  centrifugal  and  centripe- 
tal forces  were  equal,  had  been  united  to  other 
masses,  until  these  laws  governed  the  whole 
universe  of  matter.  Then,  what  ineffable  splen- 
dor pervaded  the  universe !  What  light  inde- 
scribable emanated  from  these  immense  masses 
of  ignited  and  molten  matter !  Imagine,  for  a 
moment,  a  universe,  visible  only  to  the  eye  of 
the  Great  Creator,  created  by  Him  in  a  form  so 
subtle  and  spiritual,  that,  had  man  then  existed, 
the  whole  unformed  masses  of  suns  and  worlds 
would  have  been  above,  around,  and  in  every 
direction,  as  they  now  are,  but  in  a  state  as  in- 
visible to  finite  eyes  as  the  gases  which  now 
pervade  the  atmosphere  of  our  earth,  —  suddenly 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  66 

made  to  assume  the  form  of  immense  globes  of 
fire,  and  impelled  with  inconceivable  velocity 
through  space  !  Well  might  the  All- Wise,  who 
had  created,  weighed,  measured,  and  reduced  to 
harmony  and  order  the  materials  which  had  filled 
all  space,  before  He  subjected  them  to  the  laws 
of  attraction,  have  pronounced  them  "good." 

But  many  of  the  gases,  so  called,  such  as  now 
pervade  the  atmosphere  of  our  earth,  were  not 
reduced  to  a  state  of  fluidity,  but  were  attracted 
towards  the  molten  masses,  without  being 
allowed  to  unite  with  them ;  the  globes  being 
composed  of  substances  to  which  man  has  since 
given  the  name  of  metallic,  including  primary 
rocks.  These  metallic  globes,  then,  in  conse- 
quence of  their  high  temperature,  would  at  once 
expel  all  the  gases,  which,  if  suffered  to  approach 
them,  would  deprive  them  of  their  lustre  :  —  so 
that  we  may  suppose  their  surfaces  to  have  pre- 
sented the  appearance  of  polished  metals,  sur- 
rounded by  an  atmosphere  of  flame,  each  pre- 


34  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

senting  a  light  and  brilliancy,  in  proportion  to 
its  magnitude,  like  that  of  the  sun  at  the  present 
time.  These  metallic  masses,  or  globes,  after 
their  motion  had  become  uniform,  were  arranged 
in  layers  or  strata,  —  the  heavier  or  more  dense, 
such  as  platinum,  gold,  &c.,  being  attracted  to- 
wards the  centre  of  gravity  of  each  globe,  and 
those  of  less  density  lying  nearer  the  surface. 

The  great  central  mass,  or  centre  of  centres, 
or  first  nucleus,  which  gave  an  impetus  to  the 
remotest  atom,  and  a  tendency  to  fly  towards  it, 
till  its  direction  was  changed  by  other  attrac- 
tions, we  may  suppose  bears  about  the  same 
relative  proportion  to  all  the  suns  and  planets 
revolving  around  it,  as  to  size  and  weight,  that 
our  sun  does  to  the  planets,  primary  and  second- 
ary, of  the  solar  system. 

Finally,  throughout  the  length  and  breadth 
of  an  endless  infinity,  all  became  harmony,  uni- 
formity, and  action.  Suns,  in  inconceivable 
numbers,  with  innumerable  planets  revolving 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  35 

around  them,  their  polished,  glassy  surfaces 
glittering  with  blazing  light  ineffable,  as  their 
radiating  caloric  was  expelled  from  them  !  Im- 
agination can  hardly  conceive  of  the  dazzling 
splendor  of  the  spectacle  then  exhibited. 


36  ORIGIN    OF    THE 


CHAPTER    II. 

IN  our  first  chapter,  we  left  the  suns  and 
planets  of  the  universe,  in  a  liquid  or  molten 
state,  whirling  through  space  around  each  other, 
and  ajound  the  great  central  sun  j  each  being 
accompanied  by  an  intensely  brilliant  flame,  or 
light.  Here  let  us  leave  them,  for  the  present, 
and  confine  ourselves  to  the  planet  we  in- 
habik 

The  earth,  then,  we  will  suppose,  presented  a 
smooth  and  glassy  metallic  surface,  with  a  tem- 
perature sufficiently  high  to  keep  all  its  compo- 
nent parts  in  a  liquid  state,  and  surrounded  by, 
though  not  in  contact  with,  oxygen,  hydrogen, 
nitrogen,  and  carbonic  acid  gases.  These  gases 


MATERIAL,    UNIVERSE.  37 

had  been  expelled  from  the  matter  composing 
the  earth  at  that  time,  by  the  immense  heat 
acquired  in  its  passage  through  space,  (for, 
it  will  be  recollected,  that  the  latent  caloric, 
which  had  kept  all  matter  in  a  gaseous  state 
before  the  laws  of  attraction  had  been  promul- 
gated, had  been  set  free,)  but  were  attracted 
towards  it,  to  be  in  readiness  to  subserve  the 
purposes  required  by  the  Creator.  Carbonic  acid 
gas,  being  the  most  dense,  would  first  approach 
the  earth  as  its  temperature  diminished,  did  not 
other  effects  intervene  to  prevent  it.  The  caloric 
escaping  from  the  heated  surface  of  the  earth 
ignited  the  hydrogen,  which,  attracting  oxygen, 
was  condensed,  or  converted  into  water,  —  pro- 
ducing a  brilliant  flash  of  light,  accompanied  by 
heat.  This  water,  being  more  dense  or  heavier 
than  the  gases  in  a  separate  state,  would  be 
attracted  towards  the  earth's  surface,  in  a  state 
of  extremely  minute  vapor ;  but  would  be  de- 
composed long  before  reaching  it,  and  be  again 
4 


38  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

converted   into   its  original   elements,  —  oxygen 
and  hydrogen  gases. 

This  process  of  conversion  of  these  gases  to 
water,  and  of  decomposition,  would  continue 
until  the  earth's  surface  became  sufficiently  cool 
to  admit  the  water  to  come  in  contact  with  it. 
This  conversion  of  the  gases  into  water  would 
be  incessant,  and  produce  a  constant  blaze  of 
light  and  heat,  —  at  first  remote,  and  afterwards 
nearer  the  earth's  surface,  —  until  all  the  oxygen 
and  hydrogen  had  been  combined,  in  due  pro- 
portions, in  the  form  of  water ;  or,  until  the 
temperature  of  the  exterior  had  become  reduced 
too  low  to  afford  the  heat  required  to  unite  them. 
The  ocean's  bed  would  then  be  many  miles  from 
the  earth's  surface,  and  so  rare  that  the  light 
from  the  earth  might  be  seen  through  it  at  im- 
mense distances.  But,  as  the  heat  at  the  earth's 
surface  would  be  constantly  diminishing,  the 
water  would  be  finally  admitted  to  it,  but  in  a 
state  of  extremely  minute  vapor,  which  would 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  39 

be  instantly  decomposed,  —  not,  however,  in  this 
instance,  without  producing  a  change  on  the 
surface  of  the  earth  ;  for,  the  oxygen  would  be 
attracted  to  the  metallic  surface,  and,  uniting 
with  it,  would  oxidize  or  rust  it ;  thereby  pro- 
ducing a  thin  coating,  or  crust,  and  for  ever 
depriving  it  of  the  brilliant  lustre  which,  till 
then,  it  had  exhibited.  The  hydrogen  would 
escape,  to  be  united  with  more  oxygen,  and  form 
water.  This  oxide,  or  rust,  gradually  accumula- 
ting, and  being  a  bad  conductor  of  heat,  would 
materially  aid  in  reducing  the  temperature  of  the 
exterior  of  the  globe. 

While  this  process  was  going  on,  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  exterior  of  the  earth,  becoming  con- 
stantly reduced,  would  gradually  admit  the  water 
in  a  more  condensed  form,  which  would  event- 
ually come  in  contact  with  it  without  being 
decomposed.  Ages  must,  however,  have  elapsed 
before  the  water  could  have  been  suffered  to 
approach  the  heated  exterior  in  a  liquid  state  ;  — » 


40  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

even  then,  it  would  be  kept  at  a  boiling  heat  for 
a  long  time,  and  be  evaporated  in  the  form  of 
steam,  which  would  retard  its  accumulation,  but 
would  serve  to  reduce  the  temperature  more  rap- 
idly, by  carrying  off  vast  quantities  of  caloric, 
in  the  aqueous  vapor,  to  a  colder  medium,  where 
it  would  be  liberated,  and  the  vapor  again  con- 
densed, to  fall  towards  the  earth  in  the  form  of 
rain.  This  process  would  probably  continue  till 
the  temperature  of  the  exterior  of  the  earth  had 
been  reduced  below  212°  of  Fahrenheit,  when  the 
waters  would  be  allowed  to  remain  on  the  sur- 
face of  the  earth  j  and,  if  no  other  causes  inter- 
vened, they  would  be  equally  diffused  or  spread 
over  its  whole  surface,  —  subject  only  to  the 
laws  of  vaporization  and  condensation,  which 
are  known  to  act  far  below  the  temperature 
above  named. 

But  how  different  was  the  result !  Fortunate 
inhabitant  of  this  planet !  couldst  thou  have  then 
existed,  organized  as  thou  now  art,  what  terrors 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  41' 

would  have  awaited  thee !  As  one  who  finds 
himself  upon  an  ice-clad  ocean,  hundreds  of 
miles  from  the  shore,  and  suddenly  finds  it 
breaking  up  around  him,  while  between  are 
gushing  forth  torrents  of  liquid  fire  ;  arid  sees 
his  only  foothold  separated  from  its  neighbor, 
expecting  every  moment  to  be  swallowed  up  by 
the  upheaving  waves  ;  —  such  wouldst  thou  have 
been,  hadst  thou  then  existed  ! 
.  But,  to  return  :  —  the  accumulating  waters, 
upon  the  solid  but  still  heated  crust,  caused  it 
to  crack,  and,  penetrating  through  it  to  the  fluid 
metals  beneath,  was  converted  into  steam,  or 
decomposed ;  and,  as  it  expanded,  forced  the 
crust  asunder,  and  escaped,  carrying  with  it  a 
quantity  of  the  fluid  mass.  These  explosions, 
owing  to  the  small  resistance  of  the  thin  crust, 
were  very  frequent ;  and  the  earth's  surface,  in  a 
brief  space  of  time,  underwent  an  entire  change 
in  its  external  arrangement.  Instead  of  the 
smooth  and  perfectly  even  surface,  hills  and 
4* 


ORIGIN    OP    THE 


valleys  were  formed ;  but  they  were  small  com- 
pared with  the  immense  mountains  that  now 
point  toward  the  heavens.  As  the  crust  became 
thicker,  the  resistance  being  greater,  a  larger 
quantity  of  water  would  be  retained,  for  a  longer 
time,  under  the  crust,  which,  being  decomposed, 
or  converted  into  steam,  by  the  igneous  fluid, 
would  burst  forth  from  its  prison,  and  force  the 
barrier  to  its  escape,  upwards,  in  immense  masses. 
Then  would  the  fluid  matter  rush  in,  under  the 
raised  mass,  to  fill  the  cavity,  and  a  valley  would 
be  formed  on  each  side  of  the  hill,  corresponding 
to  the  mass  removed.  Then,  too,  would  the 
waters  rush  from  the  hills  to  the  valleys,  carrying 
with  them  every  thing  detached  from  the  hills 
which  fell  in  their  way.  All  was  commotion, 
uproar,  and  chaos,  upon  the  exterior  of  the 
planet  we  inhabit ;  but  within,  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  agitation,  caused,  as  before  stated,  by  the 
action  of  the  external  gases,  the  most  dense 
fluids,  having  gradually  subsided  towards  the 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  43 

centre,  in  proportion  to  their  density,  or  specific 
gravity,  \rhere  (except  in  cases  where  a  portion 
of  them  have  been  thrown  to  the  surface  by 
subterranean  convulsions,  either  in  the  form  of 
oxidized  metals,  if  near  the  surface,  or  metallic 
solids  or  fluids,  below  the  reach  of  their  action,) 
they  still  remain.  These  subterranean  convul- 
sions gradually  diminished  in  frequency,  but 
increased  in  power ;  but  not  for  many  ages  was 
their  energy  sufficient  to  protrude  the  crust  to 
an  elevation  above  the  level  of  the  waters  that 
surrounded  the  earth,  after  the  action  of  the  in- 
ternal heat  had  ceased  to  affect  them. 

As  the  internal  heat  was  gradually  diminished 
at  the  surface,  the  aqueous  vapor  became  con- 
densed near  it,  and,  being  attracted  towards  the 
earth,  was  finally  deposited  on  its  surface  to  a 
great  depth.  Further,  while  the  internal  heat 
acted  upon  the  water,  in  such  a  degree  as  to 
vaporize  it  freely,  it  would  necessarily  rise  to  a 
certain  distance  from  the  earth,  where,  being  con- 


44  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

densed  by  the  cold,  or,  in  other  words,  having 
parted  with  its  caloric  of  vaporization,  it  would 
return  again  in  the  form  of  rain.  Thus,  it  may 
be  supposed,  it  rained  incessantly,  for  a  long 
period  after  the  formation  of  water;  although 
the  heated  surface  of  the  earth  did  not  admit 
the  water  to  come  in  contact  with  it,  before 
being  again  and  again  expelled  in  the  form  of 
vapor,  to  be  repeatedly  condensed  by  parting 
with  its  caloric  of  vaporization.  This  vapor, 
or  steam,  we  may  suppose,  was  so  dense,  for 
many  ages,  (particularly  while  the  water  was 
kept  in  a  state  of  ebullition,)  as  to  preclude  the 
light  of  the  sun  ;  — "  and  darkness  was  upon 
the  face  of  the  deep." 

Meantime,  the  subterranean  forces  continued 
to  act,  at  irregular  intervals,  and  with  different 
degrees  of  power.  Between  these  intervals,  the 
surrounding  waters  of  the  earth  were  compara- 
tively calm  and  unruffled  ;  for  the  whole  surface 
of  the  earth  was  of  a  uniform  temperature.  No 


MATFRIAL    HNI VERSE.  45 

winds  prevailed  ;  —  the  cause  of  winds  being 
attributed  to  the  variation  of  temperature,  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  earth,  and  no  such  variation 
then  existed. 


4b  ORIGIN    OF    THE 


CHAPTER    III. 

WE  have  attempted  to  show  some  of  the  geo- 
logical  effects  produced  upon  the  earth's  surface, 
by  the  action  of  water  upon  it,  during  the  very 
gradual  reduction  of  the  temperature  of  its  crust. 
Let  us,  for  the  present,  confine  ourselves  to  some 
reflections  on  the  chemical  changes  wrought 
upon  the  surface,  by  the  water  and  gases  sur- 
rounding the  earth,  as  it  passed  from  an  igneous 
state  to  that  of  the  temperature  we  now  enjoy. 

We  have  seen  that  the  gases  that  now  com- 
pose the  air,  water,  and  enter  so  largely  in  the 
composition  of  vegetable  and  animal  organiza- 
tion, could  not  have  been  a  part  of  the  earth 
while  in  a  molten  state  ;  as  we  know  that  a  heat 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  47 

sufficient  to  melt  metallic  bodies  will  expel  these 
gases  from  such  bodies.  Admitting,  then,  that 
these  gases  then  existed  around  the  molten  mass, 
we  should  suppose  they  might  be  attracted  to 
that  body  in  the  ratio  of  their  relative  specific 
gravity  or  weight ;  and,  as  carbonic  acid  gas  is 
the  heaviest,  it  would,  consequently,  as  the 
earth's  temperature  became  reduced,  be  the  first 
to  approach  it,  and  become  united  with  it.  But 
the  earth's  surface  was  not  yet  prepared  to  admit 
the  union  of  this  gas  with  it ;  —  the  fact  being 
established,  by  the  laws  of  chemistry,  that  me- 
tallic bodies  will  not  combine  with  this  gas,  nor 
with  any  acid,  until  such  bodies  are  first  oxi- 
dized, or,  in  other  words,  until  they  form  a  union 
with  oxygen.  To  increase  the  density  of  oxy- 
gen gas,  so  as  to  allow  it  to  overcome  the  resist- 
ance of  the  more  dense  carbonic  acid  gas,  became 
necessary.  And  how  was  this  effected  ?  —  By 
combining  the  two  gases,  oxygen  and  hydrogen, 
and  forming  water.  This  combination  was  ren- 


48  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

dered  heavier,  or  more  dense,  than  either  of  the 
gases  alone,  and,  consequently,  would  become 
the  first  to  be  attracted  towards  the  earth.  But 
we  have  seen,  that,  in  this  state,  it  was  not 
allowed  to  approach  too  near  the  earth's  surface, 
for  a  long  time,  without  being  again  reduced  to 
its  original  elements  ;  and,  when  it  was  finally 
admitted  to  come  in  contact  with  the  surface 
of  the  earth,  in  a  state  of  extremely  minute  par- 
ticles of  vapor,  it  was  instantly  decomposed,  — 
the  oxygen  uniting  with  the  metallic  surface, 
and  the  hydrogen  being  again  driven  off  into 
space.  How  long  this  action  continued,  it  would 
be  difficult  to  conjecture  ;  but  we  shall  readily 
perceive,  that  many  ages  would  be  required  to 
reduce  the  temperature  of  so  large  a  body  of 
molten  matter  to  a  state  to  admit  water  to  ap- 
proach it  without  being  decomposed. 

According  to  our  hypothesis,  the  earth's  sur- 
face was  then  composed  wholly  of  molten 
metals,  of  the  least  specific  gravity,  —  such  as 


MATERIAL    UNIVEKSE.  49 

sodium,  the  base  of  soda ;  calcium,  the  base  of 
lime,  &c.  Had  these  metals  been  allowed  to 
have  become  solidified,  without  having  been 
first  acted  on  by  oxygen,  they  would  have  been 
unfit  to  perform  the  part  assigned  them  by  the 
Creator ;  and  the  earth  would  probably  never 
have  been  the  abode  of  organized  vegetable  and 
animal  creation.  But  He,  who  planned  the 
universe,  had  fixed  unerring  laws,  by  which 
every  material  had  been  gradually  carried  for- 
ward towards  its  ultimate  destination.  These 
metallic  bodies,  then,  had  been  perfectly  adapted 
for  their  union  with  oxygen,  when  the  oxygen 
had  been  prepared,  by  its  union  with  hydrogen, 
to  approach  them. 

Let  us,  then,  for  a  moment,  examine  the  effect 
produced  by  the  union  of  oxygen  with  the 
metals.  Take,  for  instance,  calcium,  the  base 
of  lime,  which,  we  suppose,  composed  a  large 
portion  of  the  earth's  crust.  When  the  oxygen 
came  in  contact  with  it,  in  its  igneous  or  molten 
5 


50  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

state,  it  would  at  once  assume  a  different  appear- 
ance ;  its  bulk  would  be  increased,  its  specific 
gravity,  or  weight,  would  be  lessened,  and  it 
would  assume  the  form  of  a  white,  pulverulent 
mass,  like  that  of  quicklime,  and  thus  remain, 
prepared  for  other  changes,  to  be  indicated  here- 
after. Thus,  we  may  suppose,  all  the  metals  on 
and  near  the  surface  of  the  earth  were  acted  on 
by  oxygen,  while  the  crust  continued  in  a  suffi- 
ciently heated  state  to  decompose  water ;  and 
that,  during  that  time,  all  the  metals  were  oxi 
dized  as  fast  as  they  changed  from  a  fluid  to  an 
igneous  state. 

Thus,  then,  the  earth's  surface  was  prepared 
for  the  reception  of  water,  and  the  metallic  ox- 
ides fitted  for  the  changes  to  be  produced  by 
the  action  of  water  upon  them.  When  the 
temperature  of  the  earth's  exterior  had  been 
reduced  below  the  point  required  for  the  decom- 
position of  water,  the  heat  was  still  so  great  as 
to  allow  its  approach  only  in  a  state  of  very  rare 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  61 

vapor ;  and  this  vapor,  for  a  length  of  time, 
would  be  driven  off  so  rapidly  as  scarcely  to 
admit  of  any  action  upon  the  oxidized  metallic 
crust.  But  this  vapor  would  carry  off  the  ca- 
loric from  the  surface  much  more  rapidly  than 
before,  and  soon  reduce  the  temperature  so  low 
as  to  admit  the  vapor  to  be  absorbed  by  the 
oxidized  crust.  This  heated  vapor  would  grad- 
ually penetrate  the  pulverulent  oxides,  and  serve 
to  reduce  them  to  powder ;  thereby  exposing 
their  surfaces  to  the  further  action  of  the  accu- 
mulating waters.  Take,  for  instance,  the  oxide 
of  calcium,  or  lime,  as  it  is  generally  termed,  as 
a  specimen.  The  action  of  vapor  or  water  upon 
that  substance  is  too  well  known  to  require  elu- 
cidation. But  here,  another  agent  in  the  prepa- 
ration of  the  oxidized  crust,  for  future  chemical 
uses,  was  first  allowed  to  act  on  it.  This  agent 
was  carbonic  acid  gas,  which,  till  that  period, 
had  been  hovering  around  the  earth,  without 
being  allowed  to  come  in  contact  with  it.  The 


52  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

heated  and  powdered  oxides  were  then  in  the 
best  possible  condition  for  forming  a  union  with 
that  gas,  —  or,  rather,  so  many  of  them  as  were 
susceptible  of  such  union ;  and,  when  it  is  recol- 
lected, that  all  the  carbon,  which  has  since  con- 
tributed to  the  formation  of  the  carbonates,  such 
as  limestone,  marble,  chalk,  and  numerous  oth- 
ers, —  as  well  as  the  immense  beds  of  coal  that 
have  since  been  discovered,  together  with  the 
vast  quantities  taken  up  in  the  first  formation 
of  vegetable  and  animal  productions,  —  then  ex- 
isted in  a  state  of  carbonic  acid  gas,  exterior  to 
the  earth's  surface  j  and,  that  this  must  all  have 
been  disposed  of  before  any  animal,  now  an  in- 
habitant of  the  earth,  could  have  lived,  —  we 
can  not  but  admire  and  reverence  the  wisdom 
of  that  Being,  who  had  contrived  and  adapted 
every  thing  for  the  gradual  but  sure  progression 
of  all  the  elements  of  matter  to  the  purposes 
designed  for  them. 

But  now  the  steaming  earth  was  the  constant 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  53 

recipient  of  the  falling  vapor ;  and,  as  the  heat 
at  the  surface  diminished,  this  vapor  became 
gradually  more  condensed,  until  it  assumed  the 
form  of  rain,  —  when,  we  may  suppose,  that 
the  water  would  slowly  accumulate,  and,  in  a 
state  of  ebullition,  cover  the  whole  surface  of 
the  earth.  This  ebullition,  we  may  suppose, 
continued  for  many  ages,  throwing  off  vapor, 
in  the  form  of  steam,  in  vast  quantities,  and 
being  constantly  replenished  by  incessant  rains. 
Some  of  the  molten  metals,  passing  upwards 
through  the  water,  from  great  depths,  would 
serve  to  keep  up  the  temperature ;  while  the 
waters,  resisting  them,  and  acting  on  them  as 
they  passed  through,  would,  in  many  instances, 
separate  them  into  small  rounded  particles,  (as 
melted  zinc,  when  thrown  in  water,  is  converted 
into  drops  before  cooling.  Thus,  we  may  sup- 
pose, the  gold  of  California  was  separated  into 
small  particles  before  cooling.)  Others  would 
act  on  the  water,  and  be  partially  oxidized. 
5* 


54  ORIGIN    OP    THE 

Some  of  the  molten  rocks,  when  they  were 
now  protruded  upwards  through  the  waters, 
would  separate  into  congeries,  and,  falling  back 
into  the  liquid  mass,  would  be  conglutinated 
with  it,  and  form  what  is  now  familiarly  termed 
pudding-stone. 

Meantime,  the  waters  were  kept  in  a  state  of 
ebullition  ;  and  the  agitation  beneath  them  con- 
tinued ;  and  the  oxides  of  the  metals  were  dis- 
solved, and  diffused  throughout  the  boiling  flood 
of  waters,  and  were  thus  prepared  for  forming 
new  chemical  compounds,  as  the  heat  subsided. 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  55 


CHAPTER    IV. 

BEFORE  proceeding  further,  it  becomes  us  to 
pause  a  moment,  and  consider,  somewhat  more 
in  detail,  the  probable  condition  of  the  earth, 
when  the  waters  around  it  had  been  condensed 
into  a  liquid  form  on  its  surface.  Let  us  suppose, 
then,  by  way  of  illustration,  a  number  of  metal- 
lic bodies,  combined  in  a  fluid  state,  and  made 
to  assume  a  globular  form,  to  be  projected  from 
the  earth  into  the  atmosphere.  Let  us  suppose 
this  fluid  metallic  mass  to  be  capable  of  retaining 
its  caloric  of  fluidity  for  a  definite  length  of 
time.  We  know  that  this  body,  as  it  gradually 
cooled,  would  attract  oxygen  from  the  atmo- 
sphere, and  would  soon  be  coated  with  rust,  or 


56  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

oxides  of  the  various  metals  which  were  exposed 
to  its  action.  We  are  aware  that  this  oxidized 
surface  would  be  specifically  lighter,  and  would 
occupy  more  space,  than  the  metals  did  before 
being  oxidized ;  and  we  know  that  the  weight 
of  the  mass  would  be  increased  exactly  in  pro- 
portion to  the  weight  of  the  oxygen  with  which 
it  would  combine.  We  know,  too,  that  heat 
expands  metallic  bodies ;  and,  consequently,  a 
diminution  of  the  heat  of  fluidity  would  contract 
them.  The  earth,  then,  as  it  parted  with  its 
caloric,  or  source  of  heat,  would  occupy  much 
less  space,  when  it  should  become  solid,  than  it 
would  before  having  parted  with  its  caloric  of 
fluidity ;  —  and  this  law,  it  is  believed,  would 
act  uniformly,  from  the  time  the  matter  of  the 
earth  existed  in  the  state  of  gas,  to  the  time 
when  it  would  become  (if  it  ever  should)  a  per- 
fect solid.  From  what  we  have  said  above, 
however,  it  will  be  seen,  that  the  surface  of  the 
earth,  by  its  union  with  oxygen  and  other  gases, 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  57 

is  much  less  dense  than  the  interior  even  in  a 
fluid  state  ;  and,  consequently,  that  its  specific 
levity  would  cause  it  to  remain  on  the  exterior 
of  the  globular  mass,  and  increase  its  bulk. 
This  accumulation  of  rust,  or  earthy  matter, 
probably  extended  to  considerable  depth,  and 
of  a  uniform  thickness  until  disturbed  by  the 
action  of  water.  This  effect  has  already  been 
partially  described.  It  will,  however,  be  readily 
conceived,  that,  so  long  as  the  water  was  kept 
in  a  boiling  state,  a  large  portion  of  it  would  be 
suspended  in  the  atmosphere ;  and,  as  it  was 
spread  nearly  equally  over  every  part  of  the 
surface  of  the  earth,  it  would  necessarily  be  of 
nearly  a  uniform  depth,  and  comparatively  shal- 
low. When  the  waters  were  converted  into 
steam,  under  the  crust  of  the  earth,  this  steam 
would,  in  some  instances,  be  forced  along  for 
many  miles  before  finding  egress ;  when,  burst- 
ing the  solidified  rocks,  it  would  raise  them  from 
their  beds,  and  the  liquid  below  would  be  forced 


58  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

upward  and  fill  the  chasm,  —  thus  raising  the 
crust  over  the  whole  length  of  its  passage.  But 
the  crust  could  not  be  elevated  more  than  its 
own  thickness ;  and  if,  perchance,  some  eleva- 
tions arose  above  the  waters,  the  falling  rain  and 
the  rising  steam  would  still  keep  the  oxidized 
surface  in  a  soluble  state. 

Thus,  then,  were  the  materials  for  organized 
matter  diffused  through  the  boiling  fluid,  and 
prepared  and  adapted,  each  to  assume  the  place 
and  form  for  which  it  had  been  designed  from 
the  beginning.  The  means  were,  in  every  in- 
stance, adapted  to  the  accomplishment  of  the 
object  to  be  attained.  The  surface  of  the  earth 
became  an  immense  caldron,  covered  with  car- 
bonic acid  and  other  gases,  and  holding  in  solu- 
tion all  the  materials  for  crystalline,  vegetable, 
and  animal  organization.  The  waters  became 
turbid  with  the  vast  accumulation  of  these  mate- 
rials, owing  to  the  small  quantity,  while  in  a 
state  of  ebullition,  allowed  to  remain,  during  its 


MATERIAL   UNIVERSE.  59 

very  gradual  augmentation.  But  the  time  at 
length  arrived  when  the  temperature  became 
reduced  below  the  boiling  heat ;  and  a  large 
proportion  of  the  waters,  that  had  hitherto  been 
suspended  above  the  earth,  now  rested  upon  it. 
Owing  to  the  great  internal  heat  still  acting  upon 
the  waters,  and  the  frequent  protrusion  of  molten 
matter  from  beneath,  the  evaporation  still  con- 
tinued, and  dense  clouds  yet  hovered  over  the 
earth.  For,  it  will  be  recollected,  that  the  tem- 
perature of  the  earth's  surface  was  uniform ;  and, 
being  still  very  much  above  that  now  produced, 
at  any  time,  by  the  influence  of  the  sun,  the 
winds  had  not  yet  been  put  in  motion. 

And  now,  the  waters  being  comparatively  at 
rest,  and  being  in  sufficient  quantities  to  give 
free  scope  to  the  action  of  chemical  agents,  the 
play  of  chemical  affinities  commenced.  Here 
were  all  the  materials  for  secondary  rock  forma 
tions,  as  well  as  crystals,  and,  with  the  aid  of 
the  gases  in  the  atmosphere,  shells,  and  vegeta- 


GO  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

ble,  and  animal  organization.  But  no  air-breath- 
ing animal  could  yet  exist,  on  account  of  the 
vast  quantities  of  carbonic  acid  that  yet  pervaded 
the  atmosphere.  And  now  commenced  the  form- 
ation, in  the  waters,  of  crystallized  rock,  and 
salts.  The  materials  for  quartz,  settling  into  the 
crevices  and  interstices  of  primitive  rock,  (which 
had  been  cracked  as  they  were  lifted  from  the 
beds  where  they  had  been  first  cooled,)  were 
there  crystallized  and  solidified.  Carbonates  of 
lime  were  deposited  in  the  valleys,  beneath  the 
waters,  where  they  became  consolidated.  Fluid 
metals  were  frequently  protruded  from  beneath 
the  crust,  through  openings  and  rents,  and,  be- 
coming cooled,  remained  till  disturbed  by  other 
convulsions. 

Even  then,  as  now,  Nature  was  incessant  in 
her  operations.  The  whole  mass  of  waters, 
with  the  gases  of  the  atmosphere,  as  then  con- 
stituted, became  a  vast  chemical  laboratory  ;  and 
the  germs  of  mollusca  and  Crustacea  were  then 


MATERIAL   UNIVERSE.  61 

generated,  and  became  endued  with  life  and 
motion ;  and  beautiful  shells  were  formed  for 
their  habitation,  and  the  future  development  of 
their  species. 

And  now  began  the  grand  operation  of  Nature 
for  depriving  the  atmosphere  of  its  excess  of  car- 
bonic acid  gas,  by  which  the  earth  would  be 
rendered  fit  for  the  habitation  of  the  higher 
classes  of  animals.  The  elements  of  water  were 
united,  in  due  proportions,  with  carbonic  acid  j 
and  the  germs  of  vegetables,  endued  with  the 
power  of  attracting  the  elements  of  their  compo- 
sition, —  or,  in  other  words,  endued  with  life,  — 
sprang  forth  from  the  warm  and  water-clad  earth, 
and  now,  owing  to  the  propitious  state  of  the 
earth  and  air,  gradually  rose  from  beneath  the 
shallow  waters ;  and  tall  plants  and  herbs  were 
formed,  appearing  like  trees  of  the  present  age, 
—  ferns,  and  other  plants,  which  now  attain  the 
height  of  a  few  inches,  then  reaching  the  height 
of  seventy  or  eighty  feet ! 
6 


62  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

It  will  at  once  be  perceived,  that  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  waters,  and  consequently  of  the 
atmosphere,  derived  from  the  internal  heat  of 
the  earth,  must  have  been,  for  ages,  very  much 
higher  than  at  present,  and  nearly  equal  over 
every  part  of  the  globe ;  —  the  heat  of  the  sun 
having  but  little,  if  any,  influence,  owing  to  the 
high  temperature  of  the  earth,  and  the  constant 
accumulation  of  vapor  suspended  in  the  atmo- 
sphere. 

f  The  waters  became  pregnant  with  life  and 
/  animation  ;  and  the  germs  of  vegetable  and  ani- 
\rnal  life  were  formed  therein. 

This  uniformity  of  temperature,  over  every 
part  of  the  earth's  surface,  at  the  same  time, 
while  its  reduction  was  so  gradual  as  scarcely 
to  be  perceived  for  a  great  number  of  years,  will 
account  for  the  frequent  discoveries  of  the  re- 
mains of  tropical  animals  and  vegetables  near 
the  poles,  —  instead  of  resorting  to  the  theory 
of  St.  Pierre  and  others,  that  the  relative  situa- 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  63 

tion  of  the  poles  with  the  equator  has  been 
changed ;  assuming  that  a  part  of  the  earth, 
near  the  poles,  emerged  from  its  watery  submer- 
sion before  the  temperature  of  the  water  was 
reduced  below  98°  :  and  the  difficulty  of  ac- 
counting for  the  remains  of  tropical  animals  and 
plants,  found  in  the  now  frigid  zones,  will  at 
once  vanish. 

Again :  during  the  first  ages  of  the  earth's 
existence,  when  the  crust  was  thin  compared 
with  what  it  now  is,  the  hills  not  being  so  much 
elevated,  nor  the  valleys  so  much  depressed,  we 
may  reasonably  assume  that  a  very  large  portion 
of  that  under  the  water  was  sufficiently  shallow 
to  be  left  nearly  dry  for  a  great  part  of  the  time. 
This  may  account  for  the  existence  of  amphib- 
ious animals,  not  now  known ;  and  for  those 
herbivorous  monsters  which,  from  their  structure, 
probably  inhabited  places  partially  covered  with 
water.  The  temperature,  at  that  time,  would 
favor  the  luxuriant  growth  of  aquatic  vegetables 


64  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

for  their  subsistence;  and  it  is  an  established 
axiom,  that  the  organization  of  every  species 
of  animal  is  adapted  to  the  situation  in  which  it 
is  placed. 

Again;  we  may  well  suppose,  that  the  tem- 
perature of  the  water,  being  imparted  to  the  hu- 
mid atmosphere,  (for  evaporation  would  be  then 
much  more  rapid  than  at  present,)  would  pro- 
duce a  climate  altogether  unfit  for  the  residence 
of  animals  and  plants  which  are  now  found  in 
the  temperate  and  frigid  zones,  but  would  be 
perfectly  adapted  to  those  gigantic  animals  and 
plants  fitted  by  Nature  for  the  habitation  assigned 
them.  We  know  that  tropical  climates  now  pro- 
duce plants  and  animals  more  abundantly,  and 
much  larger,  than  those  of  a  lower  temperature. 
We  know,  too,  that  the  incipient  development 
of  the  embryo  of  animals,  as  well  as  the  germi- 
nation of  plants,  requires  a  uniform  temperature, 
accompanied  by  humidity ;  and  we  are  not  aware 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  65 

that  any  animal  or  plant,  now  existing,  could 
have  been  generated,  or  matured,  at  a  tempera- 
ture uniformly  below  60°  Fahrenheit.  It  was 
remarked,  by  the  master  of  a  ship,  who  was 
becalmed,  for  a  number  of  weeks,  near  the  equa- 
tor, that  the  waters  around  his  ship  literally 
teemed  with  life  and  animation.  How  prolific, 
then,  must  have  been  the  waters  during  the  im- 
mense number  of  ages  that  were  required  to 
reduce  their  temperature  from  a  boiling  heat  to 
that  which  now  prevails  !  So  uniform  was  their 
temperature,  and  so  little  motion  prevailed,  (ex- 
cept when  agitated  by  convulsions  from  beneath 
the  crust  of  the  earth.)  and  so  active  were  the 
chemical  materials  within  them,  that  the  im- 
mense mass  of  water,  surrounding  the  globe,  was 
stagnant  with  animation;  and,  as  the  tempera- 
ture became  reduced,  they  became  pregnant  with 
life,  and  the  germs  of  all  organized  living  forms 
were  generated,  as  the  waters  passed  through 
6* 


66  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

the  various  temperatures  required  for  the  combi- 
nation of  atoms  with  atoms,  and  atoms  with 
germs. 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  67 


CHAPTER    V. 

WE  have  stated,  that  the  heated  waters  became 
a  vast  chemical  laboratory ;  and,  as  they  passed 
through  every  temperature,  very  gradually,  from 
a  state  of  extremely  rare  vapor  to  the  freezing 
point,  every  chemical  combination  necessary  to 
the  formation  of  all  crystalline  and  vegetable 
organization  might  then  have  taken  place.  Here 
were  all  the  materials  which  now  exist  in  crys- 
tals, as  well  as  in  vegetable  and  animal  organi- 
zation, in  a  state  of  solution ;  —  the  temperature 
of  the  solvent  being  sufficiently  uniform  to  com- 
plete any  organized  form  that  might  have  been 
required.  Here,  too,  was  a  warm  and  humid 
atmosphere,  without  winds,  containing  electricity, 


68  01UGIN    OF    THE 

and  the  vital  principle  ;  but  at  first  so  saturated 
with  carbonic  acid,  as  to  require  its  removal  be- 
fore any  animal,  dependent  on  atmospheric  action 
for  life,  could  exist. 

And  now  the  still  waters  teemed  with  animal- 
cula ;  and  these  animalcula  were  the  seminal 
germs  of  organic  life  of  the  lowest  orders.  And 
the  seminal  germs  of  plants  were  formed,  and  a 
vegetable  world  sprang  into  existence,  the  rapid- 
ity of  whose  growth  was  almost  incredible,  for 
the  gases  were  abundant,  and  the  waters  still 
warm.  There  were  no  changes  of  temperature 
to  check  their  growth.  The  bud  needed  no 
glutinous  covering  ;  the  seed,  no  hardened  shell ; 
the  tree,  no  scaly  epidermis,  —  to  protect  it  from 
the  winter's  cold.  Scarce  had,  the  bud  been 
formed,  ere  it  was  expanded  ;  or  the  seed,  before 
it  would  vegetate  anew. 

The  still,  murky  atmosphere  yet  shaded  the 
earth  with  dense  clouds  ;  and,  there  being  no 
winds,  the  sun's  light  had  not  yet  fully  penetra- 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  69 

ted  to  the  humid  surface.  The  vegetable  growth, 
although  gigantic  and  rapid,  was  weak  and  suc- 
culent, and  the  decay  rapid.  But  organic  life 
was  imparted  to  organic  decay ;  and  the  latter 
became  revivified,  and  subject  to  new  organiza- 
tion. 

Meantime,  the  shallow  waters,  together  with 
such  places  as  had  risen  above  them,  were  soon 
covered  with  vegetable  remains.  And  now  com- 
menced the  formation  of  those  immense  beds  of 
carbon,  or  coal,  which  have  since  been  discov- 
ered, and  which  contribute  so  largely  to  the  com- 
fort, if  not  to  the  very  existence,  of  man,  in  the 
temperate  and  frigid  zones.  This  coal  forma- 
tion, it  is  believed,  could  not  have  taken  place 
under  the  present  low  and  variable  temperature 
of  the  earth's  surface.  This  arrangement  was 
also  necessary,  at  that  time,  to  deprive  the  atmo- 
sphere of  the  excess  of  carbonic  acid,  which 
remained  after  the  formation  of  carbonates  and 
vegetables,  in  order  to  render  the  air  sufficiently 


70  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

pure  for  the  habitation  of  the  higher  classes  of 
animals. 

And  now,  the  temperature  of  the  waters  being 
sufficiently  reduced,  and  the  atmosphere  having 
been  prepared  to  impart  vitality  to  the  higher 
classes  of  organized  beings,  the  design  of  the 
Great  Architect  of  the  universe  was  to  be  further 
developed, — and  the  organization  of  living  ani- 
mals commenced.  The  waters  teemed  with  the 
embryo  germs  of  animals,  in  the  shape  of  ani- 
malcula,  of  all  forms, — each  adapted  to  fit  it 
for  the  place  to  be  occupied  by  it,  in  the  situa- 
tion of  the  habitable  globe  at  that  time.  The 
molecules  of  matter  were  arranged  and  shaped 
by  the  unerring  laws  designed  for  them  in  the 
beginning ;  and  they  were  endued  with  life,  and 
motion,  and  instinct.  The  waters  became  ani- 
mated with  them.  The  instinctive  impulse  for 
food,  generated  in  them  a  spirit  of  war ;  and 
they  fell  upon  and  devoured  each  other,  —  the 
stronger  overcoming  the  weaker.  Those  that 


- 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  71 

escaped  waxed  strong  and  increased  in  size;  — 
some,  attaching  themselves  to  the  succulent 
plants,  were  nourished  by  their  juices  ;  others, 
deriving  sustenance  from  other  species  which 
they  devoured,  —  or,  attaching  themselves  to 
them  while  living,  were  sustained  and  matured 
by  the  vital  fluid  which  was  thus  yielded  to 
them.  The  waters  were  at  rest.  Food  alone 
was  required,  to  bring  to  maturity  the  new- 
formed  germ.  No  mother's  warmth  was  needed 
to  bring  forth  the  embryo  egg,  (if  the  egg  was 
necessary,)  for  the  waters  afforded  the  requisite 
heat ;  —  no  calcareous  shell,  to  protect  it  from 
a  change  of  temperature.  As  the  animals  grew, 
the  tender  and  succulent  plants  furnished  food 
for  some,  and  the  teeming  waters,  rich  with  liv- 
ing materials,  contributed  to  the  sustenance  of 
others. 

The  elementary  atoms,  being  endued  with 
attraction  and  life,  were  brought  together,  and 
arranged  in  every  kind  of  living  form  which  the 


72  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

temperature  of  the  waters,  and  the  atmosphere, 
were  adapted  to  mature  and  sustain.  These 
elementary  atoms,  being  once  combined,  and 
endued  with  life  and  motion,  were  governed  by 
fixed  and  unerring  laws,  in  their  organization, 
and  required  a  uniform  temperature  for  their 
preservation.  And,  in  order  to  perpetuate  these 
organizations,  under  the  variable  temperature  of 
the  earth,  Nature  has  employed  a  method  of 
keeping  up  a  uniform  heat,  by  endowing  each 
organization  with  a  capacity  for  sustaining  and 
preserving  this  uniformity  of  heat,  under  all  con- 
ditions of  life,  and  adapted  to  the  requirements 
of  each  individual  organization. 

Thus,  then,  each  organized  plant,  or  being, 
was  fitted  for  the  place  it  was  to  occupy ;  and 
the  place  it  was  to  occupy  was  perfectly  adapted 
to  its  habits  or  mode  of  life.  The  materials  for 
the  shell  of  the  Crustacea  and  testacea  were  pre- 
pared for  the  action  of  the  germ  of  those  animals 
upon  them,  and  grew  with  their  growth,  and 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  73 

strengthened  with  their  strength.  Then,  the 
materials  were  abundant,  and  the  changes  rapid. 
All  was  change,  —  no  death.  The  dissolution 
of  organized  matter  furnished  food  for  new  or- 
ganizations, (even  as  the  food  taken  into  the  ani- 
mal stomach  is  carried  to  the  laboratory  in  the 
blood,  and  thence  to  the  part  requiring  it,  where 
it  again  becomes  a  part  of  the  living  system;) 
and  the  uniform  temperature  of  the  waters  and 
the  atmosphere  contributed  to  the  rapid  develop- 
ment of  every  kind  of  combination  adapted 
to  it. 

The  higher  animals  seem,  in  some  instances, 
to  have  been  a  combination  of  inferior  organiza- 
tions ;  and  each  species,  or  class,  to  have  been 
perfected  through  a  successive,  and  progressive, 
but  regular,  gradation,  from  the  lowest  to  the 
more  perfect  of  their  kind. 

But  the  prolific  waters  were  the  medium  of 
generation  of  huge  aquatic  vegetables ;  monsters 
of  the  deep,  animals  long  since  extinct,  (or,  if 
7 


74  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

any  specimens  remain,  they  have  dwindled  to 
the  mere  pigmies  of  their  race,)  lived,  and  dwelt, 
and  died  in  them.  Huge  fishes,  of  which  his- 
tory furnishes  no  trace,  (unless  we  except  the 
leviathan  of  the  deep,)  of  immense  length  and 
size,  as  indicated  by  the  fossil  remains  which 
have  since  been  discovered,  inhabited  the  waters. 
Reptiles,  too,  of  the  saurian  or  lizard  tribe,  of 
enormous  length,  crept  or  waded  over  the  soft- 
ened earth.  Here,  too,  the  mammoth,  —  ninety 
feet  in  height,  with  tusks  to  uproot,  and  trunk  to 
pull  down,  the  immense  trees  of  the  forest, — 
(this  trunk  having  served  as  a  duct  for  the  con- 
veyance of  air  to  the  embryo,  as  it  was  partially 
matured  beneath  the  waters,) — roamed  on  the 
land,  or  swam  in  the  seas,  devouring  the  herbage 
either  under  or  above  them.  This  species  is 
now  only  represented,  in  miniature,  by  the  ele- 
phant of  tropical  climes.  The  hippopotamus,  or 
river-horse  ;  the  huge  rhinoceros,  whose  love  for 
the  soft  and  miry  earth,  as  then  exhibited,  and 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  75 

for  which  he  was  formed,  still  continues ;  —  the 
megatherium,  mastodon,  megalonyx,  —  and  many 
others,  whose  remains  have  been  preserved,  and 
their  habits  and  forms  indicated  by  the  science 
and  ingenuity  of  man,  —  then  existed. 

These  animals,  and  vegetables,  could  not  have 
attained  their  immense  size,  except  under  pecu- 
liar circumstances,  favorable  to  their  growth  ;  — 
among  which,  evidently,  the  high  uniform  tem- 
perature, and  humidity  of  the  earth,  at  that  time, 
stand  conspicuous.  These  gradually  gave  place 
to  other  species  of  animals  and  plants,  of  minor 
proportions,  when  the  reduced  temperature  of 
the  earth's  surface  no  longer  provided  them  with 
sufficient  warmth  and  sustenance.  Then,  every 
thing  was  gigantic:  but,  as  the  waters  cooled, 
new  organizations  were  effected,  of  less  magni- 
tude, but  of  more  perfect  development,  in  the 
still  fruitful  waters. 


76-  ORIGIN    OF    THE 


CHAPTER   VI. 

IT  will  be  recollected,  that  all  animals,  even 
at  the  present  day,  as  then,  require  an  immersion 
in  a  liquid,  of  a  uniform  temperature,  for  the 
primary  development  of  their  instinctive,  or, 
what  may  be  termed,  vegeto-animal  growth. 
The  analogy  of  the  animal  to  the  vegetable,  in 
the  embryotic  stage  of  growth,  is  much  stronger 
than  might  be  supposed.  Both  require  heat  and 
humidity ;  both  receive  liquid  nutriment,  through 
ducts  or  tubes  attached  by  fibrous  appendages  to 
the  object  or  place  whence  they  receive  their 
nourishment ;  and  neither  are  capable  of  receiv- 
ing vitality  from  the  air,  until  the  unfolding  of 
certain  apparatus,  which  in  the  former  are  called 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  77 

lungs,  in  the  latter,  leaves;  and  this  apparatus, 
in  each,  requires  the  stimulus  of  the  oxygen  of 
the  atmosphere  to  bring  it  into  action. 

Thus,  then,  in  the  dark,  still,  and  warm 
waters,  the  germs  of  vegetable  and  animal  life 
were  generated ;  their  vegetable,  embryotic  stage 
of  existence  matured ;  and  the  classes  intended 
for  locomotion,  whether  in  the  water  or  upon 
land,  endued  with  an  impulsive  sensation,  or 
instinctive  faculty,  which  subsequently  directed 
them  to  the  attainment  of  the  means  of  supply- 
ing their  natural  wants,  as  well  as  of  preserving 
and  perpetuating  their  species. 

Meantime,  the  internal  convulsions  were  rais- 
ing the  earth's  surface,  and  often  forcing  the 
molten  matter  through  it,  in  various  locations  ; 
and  the  waters,  accumulating  in  the  valleys, 
depressed  the  crust  beneath  them,  thereby  caus- 
ing the  elevations  and  depressions  to  present  a 
greater  irregularity  on  the  exterior,  than  had 
hitherto  existed. 
7* 


78  ORIGIN    OP    THE 

As  the  waters  receded  from  the  hills  to  the 
valleys,  immense  bodies  of  coal,  which  had  been 
deposited,  together  with  shells  of  every  descrip- 
tion, (some  of  which  had  become  agglutinated, 
and  formed  into  limestone,)  remained  on  the 
oozy  surface; — crystals  of  all  kinds, — vegeta- 
ble and  animal  remains,  which  had  been  formed, 
endued  with  life,  and  died,  —  were  strewn  over 
the  land,  or  mixed  with  molten  rock  which  had 
become  solidified  ;  and  many  of  which  had  be- 
come, or  were  becoming,  extinct,  by  the  change 
of  temperature  in  the  waters.  These,  with 
countless  others,  still  represented  by  living  speci- 
mens, were  exposed  on  the  surface,  or  imbedded 
in  the  soft  alluvial  deposits  formed  by  vegetable 
decay.  Thus  was  the  land,  as  it  became 
drained,  prepared  with  decaying  materials  for 
the  future  growth  and  perpetuation  of  the 
inhabitants  destined  to  occupy  the  situations 
intended  for  them. 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE.  79 

The  waters  continued  to  cool  ;  —  all  the 
changes  having  taken  place  beneath  them  of 
which  the  elements  of  matter  diffused  therein 
were  susceptible.  The  design  of  the  Creator 
had  been  accomplished,  in  preparing  the  earth 
for  a  habitation,  and  in  producing  a  race  fitted 
to  inhabit  it.  The  waters  were  no  longer  of  a 
uniform  temperature.  The  central  heat  not  act- 
ing with  sufficient  energy,  at  the  poles  of  the 
earth,  to  maintain  an  equable  heat  over  the 
whole  surface,  a  current  was  formed,  and  the 
winds  were  set  in  motion,  whereby  the  air  was 
impelled  from  a  more  dense  to  a  rarer  medium. 
But  so  gradual  was  the  change,  (as  had  been  all 
changes  since  the  formation  of  the  fluid  globe,) 
that  the  direction  of  the  vapor,  arising  from  the 
earth,  was,  at  first,  scarcely  swayed  from  the 
perpendicular  motion  which  had  hitherto  gov- 
erned it.  But,  as  the  temperature  of  the  waters 
became  farther  reduced,  the  winds  increased  in 


80  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

force ;  and  the  reduction  of  the  heat  of  the 
waters  became  more  rapid  as  their  motion 
was  accelerated. 

Finally,  the  vapors  were  condensed  in  masses, 
or  clouds,  and  dispersed,  or  carried  upward  from 
the  earth,  to  be  again  diffused  upon  it  in  the 
form  of  rain.  The  winds  blew,  and  the  clouds 
were  dispersed ;  and,  for  the  first  time,  the  sun, 
in  all  his  splendor,  shed  his  refulgent  light,  in 
unobstructed  blaze,  upon  the  visions  of  the 
dwellers  of  the  then  habitable  globe. 

With  what  amazement,  wonder,  and  admira- 
tion, did  man,  then,  for  the  first  time,  (for  man 
was  there,  —  the  last  product  of  living  material 
organization,  in  the  uniformly  heated  waters, — 
partaking  in  a  degree  of  the  nature  of  all  others, 
yet  more  perfect  than  any,  —  endowed  with  a 
capacity,  but  which  had  not  yet  been  developed, 
for  aspiring  to  the  perfection  of  his  Creator,)  — 
behold  the  heavens,  spread  like  a  canopy  over 
him,  with  countless  glittering  lights,  sparkling 


MATERIAL    UNIVERSE,  81 

like  diamonds,  and  apparently  almost  within  his 
grasp  !  There,  too,  was  the  pale  moon,  shining 
with  softened  light,  and,  for  the  first  time,  im- 
parting its  direct  and  unobstructed  influence 
upon  the  waters ;  (for  its  action  had  been  par- 
tially checked  by  the  quantity  of  water  diffused 
through  the  atmosphere;)  and  the  tides  swelled 
the  deep  waters,  where  they  had  been  gathered 
into  oceans ;  and  they  were  attracted  towards 
the  moon,  as  if  seeking  her  favor  ;  and  a  regular 
motion  was  given  them,  subject  to  the  action  of 
winds ;  and  they  became  cooled,  and  agitated  ; 
and  the  animals  thereof  became  a  distinct  class, 
and  fitted  only  for  the  habitation  for  ever  after 
assigned  them. 

The  winds,  passing  over  the  land,  which  had 
emerged  from  the  sea,  together  with  the  heat  of 
the  sun,  caused  it  to  become  dry ;  and  the  ani- 
mals, including  man,  became  the  appropriate  oc- 
cupants thereof.  "  And  there  were  giants  in 
those  days,"  —  for  the  warm  temperature,  under 


82  ORIGIN    OF    THE 

which  their  vegeto-animal  organization  had  been 
developed,  had  given  them,  as  well  as  all  other 
animal  and  vegetable  productions,  a  grandeur 
proportioned  to  the  influences  employed  in  their 
production.  Man,  however,  was  only  superior 
to  other  animals,  at  that  time,  by  the  capacity 
for  improvement  imparted  to  him  by  his  Creator ; 
—  but  the  development  of  this  capacity  was  very 
gradual,  so  that,  we  may  suppose,  for  ages  after 
he  had  become  an  inhabitant  of  the  earth,  his 
existence  was  not  marked  by  any  very  striking 
superiority  over  other  classes  of  the  higher  order 
of  animals. 

We  have  now,  very  briefly,  step  by  step, 
endeavored  to  mark  out  some  of  the  events 
deducible  from  the  premises  laid  down  in  the 
commencement  of  this  little  treatise.  If  any 
new  facts  have  been  educed,  tending  to  throw 
additional  light  upon  this  hitherto  inexplicable 
but  interesting  subject,  the  writer  will  deem  his 


MATERIAL    UN1VEK2JE.  83 

labor  well  bestowed :  or,  if  it  shall  induce 
others,  of  more  leisure,  and  higher  scientific 
attainments,  to  continue  the  investigation,  — 
whatever  be  the  result,  —  it  is  believed,  man- 
kind will  be  benefitted  by  the  examination. 


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